Hair curling apparatus



Aug. 26, 1969 J. P. ZAIDAN HAIR CURLING APPARATUS Filed July `1, 1966 INVENTOR. f/ffw/ ,QZ/1 /A/v ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,463,169 HAIR CURLING APPARATUS Joseph P. Zaidan, 1234 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19146 Filed .luly 1, 1966, Ser. No. 562,309 Int. Cl. A45d 2/12 U.S. Cl. 132-34 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLGSURE A hair curler comprising a support and a roller and a pair of compressible operating members adjacent the support each mechanically connected to the roller, the members being disposed in perpendicular relation to each other whereby the roller may be activated by either hand regardless of the position of the device relative to the hand of the user.

This invention relates to a hair Icurling apparatus, and more particularly to a device which may ybe used with conventional curlers to provide means for rapidly and expeditiously curling the hair of an individual.

Hair curling devices of the same general character as the type herein described are known in the prior art, but seem to be constructed for use only in beauty parlors because of the special purpose type of hair receiving element that is used. In addition, the hair curling devices of the prior art are unsatisfactory for home use since only one actuator is provided to rotate the hair receiving element thus requiring manipulation of the hair curler in such a manner that the individual cannot use the devices of the prior art to curl her own hair.

Ihe instant invention seeks to overcome these disadvantages of prior art devices by providing means for connecting a conventional curler to the rotating element such that special purpose hair receiving elements are unnecessary. Another disadvantage evidenced by the prior art devices is overcome by the instant invention by providing a plurality of actuating means thereby allowing convenient actuation of the hair curler of the instant invention from any position.

In brief terms, the instant invention comprises a support, a shaft carried by the support for rotative movement, a tapered adaptor on the shaft for temporarily securing an annular curler thereto and means for selectively unidirectiontally rotating the shaft.

Another anode of expressing the instant inventive concept is the provision of a support, a shaft carried by the support for rotative movement, an adaptor on the shaft for temporarily securing a curler thereto and at least a pair of actuating levers disposed on the support for movement at right angles to each other.

It is a primary object of the instant inventive concept to provide a hair curler which may be utilized either in theA home or in a beauty parlor.

Another object of the instant inventive concept is the provision of a hair curler equipped with a tapered adaptor for temporarily securing a conventional annular curler thereto.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a hair curler equipped with at least a pair of Mice actuating elements disposed at right angles to each other allowing the rotation of the hair receiving element at any position of the hair curler.

Other objects and advantages of the instant inventive concept reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction and operation, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawing wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of the hair curling device of the instant invention illustrated as receiving a conventional annular hair receiving curler;

FIGURE 2 is a left side elevational view of the hair curling device of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a right side elevational view of the hair curling attachment of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the hair curler of FIGURES l to 3 inclusive, taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIGURE l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like reference characters designate like elements throughout the several views thereof, the hair curler of the instant invention is illustrated generally at 10 and comprises a support shown generally at 12, shaft means designated generally at 14 mounted for rotation on support 12, an adaptor denoted generally at 16 for receiving a conventional annular hair receiving element illustrated generally at 18 and means for selectively and directionally rotating shaft 14 at the behest of the user. When it is desired to use the device of the instant invention to form a curl, the individual starts the curl around element 18 and inserts element 18 over adaptor 16 as shown in FIGURE 4. Subsequently, the individual may actuate either of a pair of levers shown generally at 20, 22 to rotate shaft 14 and thereby roll the hair upon element 18.

Support 12 may be made of any suitable material, such as metal, plastic or the like, and includes a shank 24 bent at one end to form a substantially rectangular wall 26 with a central partition 28 extending Icentrally of Wall 26 and secured thereto by a plurality of conventional fasteners 30, such as rivets or the like. It should be understood, however, that support 12 may be of any convenient coniguration to journal shaft 14 and provide a suitable platform for levers 20, 22 and the mechanisms connecting levers 20, 22 and shaft 14. A cover 32 is illustrated in dashed lines in FIGURE l and encloses wall 26, partition 28, a portion of shaft means 14 and the inner mechanisms of the instant invention to present an attractive appearance.

Shaft means 14 is comprised of two segments, a iirst shaft 34 journaled through an opening 36 in wall 26 as shown in FIGURE 4, and a second shaft 38 extending through an opening 40 in partition 28 and an opening 42 in rectangular wall 26 aligned with openings 36, 40. As shown ybest in FIGURE 4, a screw 44 extends through opening 42 and is received in the end of second shaft 38 thereby maintaining it in a predetermined position. The abutting ends of shafts 34, 38 respectively carry clutch segments 46, 48, cooperating to form a one-way clutch to rotate shaft 34 in the direction shown by the arrow in FIGURE 4. An annular spring washer 50` resides between clutch segment 46 and rectangular wall 26 biasing first shaft 34 toward second shaft 38 and consequently normally engaging clutch segments 46, 48. A pin 52 is aflxed to the center of clutch segment 46 and extends into a hole 54 in the end of second shaft 38.

Adaptor 16 is secured on the exposed end of rst shaft 34 and includes a substantially planar segment 56 having tapered edges 58 converging away from iirst shaft 34. Although the connection between segment 56 and shaft 34 may be effected in any desired manner, a slot 60 in the end of shaft 34 preferably frictionally receives segment 56 thereby making a secure frictional t and allowing disassembly of the device for easy storage.

Hair receiving element 18 is illustrated as a conventional hair curler comprised of a pair of toroidal ends 62 interconnected -by a cylindrical mesh structure 64 about which the hair of the individual is wound. Element or curler 18 is normally made of plastic or the like and is resilient or deformable to receive tapered segment 56. It will `be readily apparent that the largest width of segment 56 preferably slightly exceeds the internal diameter of ends 60. The pressing of curler 18 onto adaptor 16 will, for these reasons, result in a temporary but secure connection.

As previously mentioned, either of levers 20, 22 may be oscillated to unidirectionally rotate shaft 34 thereby winding the hair of the individual about curler 18. The drive mechanism associated with lever 20 includes a first gear 66 secured to shaft 38 for rotation therewith, a second gear 68 mounted for rotation by a shaft 70 and retainer 72, and a substantially rigid link 74 connecting second gear 68 and lever 20. Link 74 is secured to gear 68 by a screw 76 off center with respect to the axis of gear 68 with link 74 being provided with an eye receiving screw 76. The other end of link 74 is received in an opening formed in an ear 78 on lever 20 with an enlarged head 80 -being provided on the end of link 74 to prevent separation of link 74 and lever 20. Lever 20 is mounted for rotation on support 12 by a pin 82 thereby mounting lever 20 for pivotal movement in the direction shown by the arrow in FIGURE 2.

A coiled spring 84 surrounds second shaft 38 and has one end secured thereto with the other end 86 received in an opening in partition 28. It will be apparent that the pivoting of lever 20 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGURE 2 will result in link 74 moving in the direction indicated by the arrow in the same figure. Movement of link 74 will, of course, rotate second gear 68 in the direction indicated resulting in the opposite rotation of first gear 66 and consequently second shaft 38. Since the one-way clutch formed by segments 46, 48 transmits this rotation to shaft 34, it will be seen that the oscillation of lever 20 acts to rotate shaft 34 in the direction shown by the arrow in FIGURE 4. When lever 20 is released, spring 84 acts to rotate shaft 38 in the opposite direction thereby cocking the drive mechanism for another incremental rotary advancement of shaft 34.

The drive mechanism associated with second lever 22 constitutes a flexible member 88 wound about separate shaft 38 between a pair of anges 90, 92 secured to shaft 38 in spaced apart relation. Flexible element 88, which may be a piece of string or other suitable tensioning element passes through an opening 94 in support 12 (FIG- URE 3) and passes under a roller assembly shown generally at 96 and is secured to the movable end of lever 22.

Roller assembly 96 includes a U-shaped bracket 98 atlixed to shank 24 in any suitable manner carrying a roller 100 mounted for rotary movement lby a pin 102 extending between the upstanding ears of bracket 98.

I ever 22 includes a substantially straight section 104 journaled in a bearing 106 affixed to shank 24 opposite from roller assembly 96 and a generally U-shaped segment 108 interconnecting segment 104 and exible cord 88. It will be readily apparent that the pivoting of lever 22 in the direction shown by the arrow in FIGURE 1 acts to tension exible member 88 and move it in the direction shown by the arrow in the same gure. Member 88 is wound about shaft 38 to produce rotation thereof in the same direction as that shown by the arrow in FIG- URE 4. Accordingly, the rotation of lever 22 in the direction shown in FIGURE 1 acts to rotate shaft 38, clutch segments 46, 48, shaft 34, adaptor 16 and curler 18 in the desired direction. When the forces on lever 22 are relaxed, spring 84 returns shaft 38 to its original position thereby winding member 88 between flanges 90, 92 and cooking the drive mechanism of lever 22 for another operation.

It should be noted that levers 20, 22 are mounted for rotation about axes disposed with respect to each other thereby providing a convenient actuating means regardless of the position of hair curling device 10. Although it should be understood that this feature is highly desirable, it will be apparent that the device of the instant invention may be made with but a single actuating element.

It is now seen that there is herein provide an improved hair curling device which accomplishes all of the objects and advantages of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

Since many embodiments may be made of the instant inventive concept, and since many modifications may be made of the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that the foregoing is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A device for curling hair comprising in combination:

a support;

a shaft carried by said support for rotative movement;

means on the shaft for releasably securing an annular curler thereto;

first manually operable lever means for unidirectionally rotating said shaft;

and second manually operable lever means operating in a plane offset from the plane of operation of said first lever means for unidirectiontally rotating said shaft,

the relative position of said two lever means facilitating manual rotation of the shaft by either hand regardless of the position of the curler on the head of the user.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the first and second leit'ler means operate in planes perpendicular to each ot er.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the means on the shaft for securing an annular curler thereto include an adapter including a tapered segment having its larger end releasably secured to said shaft.

4. The hair curling device of claim 1 wherein the rotating means includes a second shaft carried by the support for rotative movement;

a gear fixed on the second shaft;

a one-way clutch drivably interconnecting the first and second shafts;

a lever, pivotally connected to the support; and

a substantially rigid link connected at one end to the lever and at the other end to the gear o center from the axis thereof.

5. The hair curling device of claim `1 wherein the rotating means includes a second shaft carried 'by the support for rotative movement;

a flexible member wound about a portion of the second shaft;

a one-way clutch drivably interconnecting the first and second shafts;

a lever pivotally connected to the support, the flexible member being connected to the lever for rotating the second shaft upon oscillation of the lever; and

5 6 means biasing the second shaft in a direction opposite References Cited t0 the rotation induced by Oscillation 0f the lever. UNITED STATES PATENTS 6. The hair curling device of claim 5 wherein the rotat- 688,192 12/ 1901 M ette 132-34 mg means further Includes 2,573,456 10/1951 Kuytzler et a1. 132-34 a gear fixed on the Second Shaft; 5 2 797 692 7/1957 Lenzi 132-34 a second lever pivotally connected to the support for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of FOREIGN PATENTS movement of the first lever; and 1,020,226 11/1952 France.

a substantially rigid link connected at one end to the lever and at the other end to the gear olf center from 10 ROBERT PESHOCK Pnmary Exammer the aXS thereof, GREGORY E. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner 

